Container having closure attached applicator



Aug. 29, 196 E. SCHEFER ETAL 3,337,901

CONTAINER HAVING CLOSURE ATTACHED APPLICATOR Filed Feb. 19, 1965 lllgmfi 3 7 5 Z Wm I N\\\F\\ z r 1 1 1 r 1 I 1m i EEWS E- Albert ,5. Ska BYATTO Y5 United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A neckedcontainer for fluid including a closure cap and a spring-loadedbrush-applicator having a hollow barrel, retractably extending into theclosure cap, in which barrel a compressible spring is mounted. Theapplicator extends across and seals the top of the container neck andhas a ferrule and brush reaching to the container bottom whether or notthe closure cap is aflixed.

This invention relates to dispensing containers for fingernail enameland the like, and particularly relates to such dispensing containershaving closure means, including attached brush means, which enablemaximum utilization of the enamel content of the dispensing container bythe consumer.

In conventional dispensing containers for fingernail enamel, brush meansfor applying the enamel to the fingernail are conventionally attached toscrew-type closure means. In such containers, the brush applicator issecurely aflixed to the closure means and extends to its maximum depthinto the container and into the fingernail enamel therein when theclosure means are in fully closed position. Conversely, When the closuremeans are in open position so that the brush applicator can be removedfor polish application, the brush extends to its minimum depth into thecontainer and its enamel content. Thus when the brush is in use as anapplicator for the enamel, it has minimum access to the full depth ofenamel in the container.

As a result, conventional dispensing containers for fingernail enamel donot permit maximum utilization of the container contents. Rather, aconsiderable amount of fingernail enamel is left in the container whenthe brush means attached to the closure no longer reach the enamelremaining in the container. To extract further amounts of enamel, theclosure must either be screwed into fully closed position and againunscrewed each time more polish is to be picked up by the brush, or thecontainer must be tipped. Both these alternatives are inconvenient andtime consuming.

According to the present invention, dispensing containeis are providedhaving applicator-equipped closure means of a type wherein the dip-levelof the applicator into the contents of the dispensing container is thesame whether the closure is in the open or closed position. Thedispensing containers of the present invention permit maximumutilization of their contents, as will be clear hereinafter.-

The dispensing containers of the invention have closure means providedwith spring-loaded applicator means movably mounted in said closuremeans. With the closure means in closed position on the dispensingcontainer, portions of the applicator means retract into the closure,while other portions extend to a convenient depth in the contents of thedispensing container. On opening of the closure means, closure means andapplicator means move relative toone another to permit fulldisengagement of the closure means and the container while maintainingthe same depth of projection of the applicator means into the dispensingcontainer.

A better understanding of the invention and of its many advantages maybe had by referring to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a dispensing container according tothe present invention showing the closure means and associatedapplicator means in closed position on the dispensing container; and

FIG. 2 is a sidesectional view showing the same container with theclosure means in open position.

Referring now in detail to FIGS. 1 and 2, and employing the samereference characters for the same parts of 'these figures, the figuresshow a dispensing container for fingernail enamel or the like comprisingcontainer means 11, such as a glass bottle, for receiving and holdingfingernail enamel. Container 11 has threaded neck portion 12 to whichclosure means such as threaded screw cap 13, suitably of plastic or thelike, is removably afiixed.

Interior portions of cap 13 are provided with spring retaining meanssuch as nipple 14, and shoulder means 15. Movably mounted withininterior portions of cap 13 is piston member 16 having central cavity 17for reception of helical spring 18 and fitted in that terminal portionextending into container means 11, with applicator means shown as brush19 and ferrule 24. For assistance in retaining helical spring 18, pistonmember 16 may be provided in central cavity 17 with second springretaining means such as nipple 20. Flared portion 21 of piston member 16extends across threaded neck portion 12 of container means 11 and sealscontainer means 11 with the cap in either open or closed position.

As is evident from FIG. 1, with screw cap 13 in closed position oncontainer means 11, spring 18 is compressed between first and secondspring retaining means 14 and 20 so that piston member 16 is retractedwithin interior portions of cap 13. Brush 19 extends substantially tothe bottom of container 11. With cap 13 in open position, as shown inFIG. 2, helical spring 18 assumes an uncompressed position and forcesscrew cap 13 upward relative to piston member 16. Brush 19 thus extendsto the same depth in container means 11 as with cap 13 in closedposition. The relative movement of piston member 16 and cap 13 isgoverned by engagement of ledge portions 22 of member 16 with shouldermeans 15 within cap 13.

For purposes of manufacture, the interior features of cap 13, such asfirst spring retaining means 14 and shoulder means 15, may be formed asone piece with screw cap 13. Spring 18 and piston member and applicationassembly 16, 19 are then separately formed and inserted into cap 13.Conveniently, member 16 is made of polyethylene or a like compressiblematerial which can easily be force fitted into interior portions of cap13 by temporary distortion of ledge portions 22.

Alternatively, cap 13 may be formed in interior portions to be of cleancross-section. In this case, separate insert 23 is fitted into interiorportions of cap 13 to provide features such as first spring retainingmeans 14 and shoulder means 15. When interior portions of cap 13 areformed as separate insert 23, it may be convenient to preassemble insert23 with spring 18 and piston member 16 and to insert the resultant unitas a whole into separately formed cap 13.

What is claimed is:

1. In dispensing apparatus for fingernail enamel and the like, saidapparatus comprising a container for holding said enamel and having aneck portion with an open top, and closure means for said containercooperatively engageable with the neck portion thereof, the combinationwhich comprises applicator means having a flared portion extendingacross the open top of said neck portion to seal said container, ferruleand brush means below said flared portion extending substantially to thebottom of said container, and a hollow barrel above said flared portion,

said barrel being movably disposed within said closure means, a helicalspring in said hollow barrel which is compressed within said barrel whensaid closure means are engaged with the neck portion of said container,and cooperative means in said closure means and on said barrel forretaining said barrel within said closure means on decompression of saidhelical spring by disengagement of said closure means and the neckportion of said container.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said hollow barrel includes a flaredterminal portion within said closure means, and said closure meansinclude an inward constriction cooperating with said flared terminalportion to retain said barrel within said closure means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,676,812 7/1928 Astley 1s-s31FOREIGN PATENTS 101,022 3/1941 Sweden.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

E. L. ROBERTS, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN DISPENSING APPARATUS FOR FINGERNAIL ENAMEL AND THE LIKE, SAIDAPPARATUS COMPRISING A CONTAINER FOR HOLDING SAID ENAMEL AND HAVING ANECK PORTION WITH AN OPEN TOP, AND CLOSURE MEANS FOR SAID CONTAINERCOOPERATIVELY ENGAGEABLE WITH THE NECK PORTION THEREOF, THE COMBINATIONWHICH COMPRISES APPLICATOR MEANS HAVING A FLARED PORTION EXTENDINGACROSS THE OPEN TOP OF SAID NECK PORTION TO SEAL SAID CONTAINER, FERRULEAND BRUSH MEANS BELOW SAID FLARED PORTION EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY TO THEBOTTOM OF SAID CONTAINER, AND A HOLLOW BARREL ABOVE SAID FLARED PORTION,SAID BARREL BEING MOVABLY DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CLOSURE MEANS, A HELICALSPRING IN SAID HOLLOW BARREL WHICH IS COMPRESSED WITHIN SAID BARREL WHENSAID CLOSURE MEANS ARE ENGAGED WITH THE NECK PORTION OF SAID CONTAINER,AND COOPERATIVE MEANS IN SAID CLOSURE MEANS AND ON SAID BARREL FORRETAINING SAID BARREL WITHIN SAID CLOSURE MEANS ON DECOMPRESSION OF SAIDHELICAL SPRING BY DISENGAGEMENT OF SAID CLOSURE MEANS AND THE NECKPORTION OF SAID CONTAINER.